Crackin' at Hinagdanan Cave

Hinagdanan Cave in Bingag, Dauis, Bohol, Philippines is among the more popular tourist attractions in Panglao Island, Bohol. The limestone cavern is usually part of the package for most Panglao Island land tours. I had the opportunity to visit this natural tourist attraction on a recent trip to Bohol with my brother and some relatives.

Volunteer Guides

Volunteer guides hang around Hinagdanan Cave and will gladly accommodate tourists as they tour the Hinagdanan Cave. Most of the guides are locals who are college students moonlighting as tour guides. While there is no set fee for the volunteer guides, be kind enough to tip generously when visiting as this is their source of livelihood. The guides are funny too. The first time I went there, I had the impression that I signed up for a comedy show.

The Hinagdanan Cave

How did it get to be called Hinagdanan? It is because the person who discovered the cave used a ladder to explore it the first time he stumbled upon the cavern. Ladder translates to hagdan in Cebuano, the local language spoken in Bohol. Hinagdanan roughly translates to "with a ladder" or "with stairs" in English. It is also worth noting that concrete steps resembling stairs have been added to make entry into the cavern easier.

Hinagdanan Cave rules and regulations

To be honest, I was kind of let down with my expectations when I first visited. The entrance to the cave have been artificially beautified. It actually gave me the impression that it was a man-made structure than the naturally-lit cavern that it really is.

Hinagdanan Cave in Bingag, Dauis, Bohol, Philippines

Entrance

Cave Features

Being lit naturally by sunlight, Hinagdanan is not a suitable abode for bats. So don't worry, you won't have those bats flying all over you when they are disturbed in their natural habitat. There are a few birds that make this a nest though. But probably because of too much human activity, this bird population has dwindled over the years.

Interior

Stalactites and Stalagmites

As with most caves, one can also find stalactites and stalagmites here.

Stalactites

Cave Lagoon

While it used to be a poular swimming spot, the lagoon in the cave is actually fed off ground runoff making it dirty. It is not advisable to swim here.